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Enter AMELIA.

Ame. Mrs Goodman has informed me, that your ladyship had desired to see me: I wait your commands, madam.

I am

Lady Alt. Look you, young woman : sensible how much it is beneath a person of my rank to parley with one of your condition. once, however, I am content to wave ail ceremony; and if you behave as you ought to do, you have nothing to fear, child.

Ame. I hope I have never behaved otherwise than as I ought to do, madam.

Lady Alt. Yes; you have received the visits of lord Falbridge; you have endeavoured to estrange his affections from me: but, if you encourage him in his infidelity to me, tremble for the consequence: be advised, or you are ruined. Ame. I am conscious of no guilt, and know no fear, madam.

Lady Alt. Come, come, Mrs Amelia; this high strain is out of character with me. Act over your Clelia, and Cleopatra, and Cassandra, at a proper time; and let ine talk in the style of nature and common sense to you. You have no lord Falbridge, no weak young nobleman to impose upon at present.

Ame. To impose upon! I scorn the imputation, and am sorry to find that your ladyship came hither, merely to indulge yourself in the cruel pleasure of insulting one of the unhappiest of her sex. [Weeping.

Lady Alt. You are mistaken; I came hither to concert measures for your happiness, to assist your poverty, and relieve your distress. Leave this house; leave London; I will provide you a retirement in the country, and supply all wants. Only renounce all thoughts of lord Falbridge, and never let him know the place of your

retreat.

your

Ame. Lord Falbridge! What is lord Falbridge to me, madam?

Lady Alt. To convince me you have no commerce with him, accept of my proposals.

Ame. No, madam; the favours which you intend me, I could not receive without blushing. I have no wants but what I can supply myself; no distresses which your ladyship can relieve; and I will seek no refuge but my own virtue.

Lady Alt. Your virtue! Ridiculous! If you are a woman of virtue, what is the meaning of all this mystery? Who are you? What are you? Who will vouch for your character?

Ame. It wants no vouchers; nor wil! I suffer myself to be arraigned, like a criminal, till I know by what authority you take upon you to act as my judge.

Lady Alt. Matchless confidence! Yes, yes; it is too plain; I see you are the very creature I took you for; a mere adventurer: some strolling princess, that are perhaps more frugal of

your favours than the rest of your sisterhood, merely to enhance the price of them.

Ame. Hold, madam! This opprobrious language is more injurious to your own honour than to mine. I see the violence of your temper, and will leave you. But you may one day know that my birth is equal to your own; my heart is, perhaps, more generous; and whatever may be my situation, I scorn to be dependant on any body, much less on one, who has so mean an opinion of me, and who considers me as her rival.

[Exit AMELIA

Lady Alt. Her rival! Unparalleled insolence! An open avowal of her competition with me!Yes; I see Spatter must be employed. Her ri val! I shall burst with indignation.

Enter MRS GOODMAN.

Lady Alt. Mrs Goodman! where is Mr Spatter?

Mrs Good. He went out the moment he left your ladyship.- -But you seem disordered; shall I get you some hartshorn, madam?

Lady Alt. Some poison. Rival! I shall choak with rage. You shall hear from me. You, and your Amelia. You have abused me; you have conspired against my peace; and, be assured, you shall suffer for it. [Exit.

Mrs Good. What a violent woman! her passion makes her forget what is due to her sex and quality. Ha! Mr Freeport!

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Mrs Good. I hope you have had a pleasant voyage?

Free. A good trading voyage-I have got money, but I have got the spleen, too. Have you any news in town?

Mrs Good. None at all, sir.

Free. So much the better. The less news, the less nonsense. But what strange lady have you had here? I met her as I was coming up: she rushed by like a fury, and almost swept me down stairs again with the wind of her hoop-pet

ticoat.

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of mankind are knaves or fools; and the fourth part live by themselves. But who are your other lodgers?

Mrs Good. An author, and a lady.

Free. I hate authors. Who is the lady? Mrs Good. She calls herself Amelia Walton; but I believe that name is not her real one. Free. Not her real one! Why, sure she is a woman of character?

Mrs Good. A woman of character! She is an angel. She is most miserably poor; and yet haughty to an excess.

Free. Pride and poverty! A sad composition, Mrs Goodman!

SCENE III.—AMELIA's Apartment.

AMELIA at work, and MOLLY. Ame. No, Polly! if lord Falbridge comes again, I am resolved not to see him.

Mol. Indeed, madam, he loves you above all the world; I am sure of it; and I verily believe he will run mad, if you don't hear what he has to say for himself.

Ame. Speak no more of him.

Enter MRS GOODMAN.

Mrs Goodman!

Mrs Good. Pardon me, madam! Here is a gentleman of my acquaintance begs you would give him leave to speak with you.

Ame. A gentleman! who is he?

Mrs Good. His name is Freeport, madam. He has a few particularities; but he is the besthearted man in the world. Pray, let him come madam!

Ame. By no means; you know I receive visits from nobody.

Mrs Good. No, sir; her pride is one of her greatest virtues: it consists in depriving herself of almost all necessaries, and concealing it from the world. Though every action speaks her to be a woman of birth and education, she lives upon the work of her own hands, without murmur or complaint. I make use of a thousand strata-in, gems to assist her against her will; I prevail on her to keep the money due for rent for her support, and furnish her with every thing she wants at half its prime cost; but if she perceives or suspects these little artifices, she takes it almost as ill as if I had attempted to defraud her. In short, sir, her unshaken virtue and greatness of soul under misfortunes, makes me consider her as a prodigy, and often draws tears of pity and admiration from me.

Free. Ah! women's tears lie very near their eyes! I never cried in my life; and yet I can feel, too; I can admire, I can esteem, but what signifies whimpering? Hark ye, Mrs Goodman! This is a very extraordinary account you give of this young woman; you have raised my curiosity, and I'll go see this lodger of yours; I am rather out of spirits, and it will serve to

amuse me.

Mrs Good. Oh, sir, you can't see her; she neither pays visits, nor receives them, but lives in the most retired manner in the world.

Free. So much the better. I love retirement as well as she. Where are her apartments? Mrs Good. On this very floor, on the other side of the staircase.

Free. I'll go and see her immediately. Mrs Good. Indeed you can't, sir. It is impossible.

Free. Impossible! where is the impossibility of going into a room? Come along!

Mrs Good. For Heaven's sake, Mr Freeport ! Free. Pshaw! I have no time to lose; I have business half an hour hence.

Mrs Good. But won't it be rather indelicate, sir? Let me prepare her first.

Free. Prepare her-With all my heart-But remember that I am a man of business, Mrs Goodman, and have no time to waste in ceremony and compliment.

[Exeunt.

Enter FREEPORT.

Bless me! he's here! This is very extraordinary indeed. Mrs Goodman.

Free. Don't disturb yourself, young woman! don't disturb yourself!

Mol. Mighty free and easy, methinks! Ame. Excuse me, sir; I am not used to receive visits from persons entirely unknown.

Free. Unknown! There is not a man in all London better known than I am. I am a merchant; my name is Freeport; Freeport of Crutched-Friars; inquire upon 'Change!

Ame. Mrs Goodman! I never saw the gentleman before. I am surprised at his coming here.

Free. Pooh! Prithee! Mrs Goodman knows me well enough. [MRS GOODMAN talks apart with AMELIA. Ay! that's right, Mrs Goodman. Let her know who I am, and tell her to make herself easy.

Mrs Good. But the lady does not chuse we should trouble her, sir.

Free. Trouble her! I'll give her no trouble; I came to drink a dish of tea with you; let your maid get it ready, and we will have it here instead of your parlour-In the mean time, I will talk with this lady; I have something to say to her.

Ame. If you had any business, sir

Free. Business! I tell you I have very particular business; so sit down, and let's have the tea. Mrs Good. You should not have followed me so soon, sir.

Free. Pooh, prithee! [Erit MRS GOODMAN. Mol. This is the oddest man I ever saw in my life!

Ame. Well, sir, as I see you are a particular acquaintance of Mrs Goodman-But, pray, what are your commands for me, sir! [They sit.

Free. I tell you what, young woman; I am a plain man, and will tell you my mind in an instant. I am told that you are one of the best women in the world: very virtuous, and very poor. I like you for that: but they say you are excessively proud too; now, I don't like you for that, madam.

Mol. Free and easy still, I see.

Ame. And pray, sir, who told you so?
Free. Mrs Goodman.

Ame. She has deceived you, sir; not in regard to my pride, perhaps, for there is a certain right pride which every body, especially women, ought to possess; and as to virtue, it is no more than my duty; but as to poverty, I disclaim it; they who want nothing, cannot be said to be

poor.

of Mrs Goodman, we might have died by this time. My lady has concealed her distress from every body that was willing and able to relieve her; you have come to the knowledge of it in spite of her teeth; and I hope that you will oblige her, in spite of her teeth, to accept of your generous offer.

Ame. No more, my dear Polly; if you would not have me die with shame, say no more! Return the gentleman his note, with my best thanks for his kindness; tell him, I durst not accept of it; for when a woman receives presents from a man, the world will always suspect that she pays for them at the expence of her virtue.

Free. What's that! what does she say, child? Mol. Lord, sir, I hardly know what she says. She says, that when a gentleman makes a young lady presents, he is always supposed to have a design upon her virtue.

Free. It is no such thing you don't speak the truth; and that is worse than being proud. I know very well that you are as poor as Job, that you are in want of common necessaries, and don't make a good meal above once a fort-action? night.

Mol. My mistress fasts for her health, sir. Free. Hold your tongue, hussy! what, are you proud too?

Mol. Lord, what a strange man!

Free. Nonsense! why should she suspect me of an ungenerous design, because I do a generous

Mol. Do you hear, madam?

Ame. Yes, I hear; I admire; but I must persist in my refusal if that scandalous fellow Spatter were to hear of this, he would stick at saying nothing.

Free. Eh! what's that?

Mol. She is afraid you should be taken for her lover, sir.

Free. But however, madam, proud or not proud does not signify twopence-Hark ye, young woman! it is a rule with me (as it ought to be with every good Christian) to give a tenth Free. I for your lover! not I. I never saw part of my fortune in charity. In the account you before. I don't love you; so, make no scruof my profits, there stands, at present, the sum of ples upon that account. I like you well enough, two thousand pounds on the credit side of my but I don't love you at all: not at all, I tell you books; so that I am two hundred pounds in ar--If you have a mind never to see my face any rear. This I look upon as a debt due from my fortune to your poverty-Yes, your poverty I say; so, never deny it. There's a bank note for two hundred pounds; and now I am out of your debt-Where the deuce is this tea, I wonder?

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Ame. I feel, I feel your goodness to the bottom of my soul; but you must excuse me. have no occasion for your bounty; take your note, sir, and bestow it where it is wanted.

Mol. Lord, madam! you are ten times stranger than the gentleman-I tell you what, sir; [To FREEPORT.] it does not signify talking; we are in the greatest distress in the world, and if it had not been for the kindness and good nature

more, good by t'ye!-You shall never see me
any more. If you like I should come back again,
I'll come back again; but I lose time; I have bu-
siness; your servant!
[Going.

Ame. Stay, sir! do not leave me without receiving the sincerest acknowledgments of my gratitude and esteem; but, above all, receive your note again, and do not put me any longer to the blush!

Free. The woman is a fool!

Enter MRS GOODMAN,

Ame. Come hither, I beseech you, Mrs Goodman.

Mrs Good. Your pleasure, madam?

Ame. Here! take this note which that gentleman has given me by mistake; return it to him, I charge you; assure him of my esteem and admiration; but let him know I need no assistance, and cannot accept it. [Exit AME.

Mrs Good. Ah, Mr Freeport! you have been at your old trade. You are always endeavouring to do good actions in secret; but the world always finds you out, you see.

Mol. Well; I don't believe there are two stranger people in England, than my mistress and that gentleman-one so ready to part with mo

ney, and the other so unwilling to receive it— don't believe her, sir; for, between friends, she is in very great need of assistance, I assure

you.

Mrs Good. Indeed, I believe so.

Mrs Good. I shall obey your kind commands, sir-Poor soul! my heart bleeds for her; her virtue and misfortunes touch me to the soul !

Free. I have some little feeling for her, too; but she is too proud. A fine face; fine figure; Free. Oh, I have no doubt on't; so I'll tell well-behaved; well-bred; and, I dare say, an you what, Mrs Goodman, keep the note, and excellent heart!-But she is too proud; tell her supply her wants out of it without her know-so, d'ye hear? tell her she is too proud. I shall ledge and now I think of it, that way is better be too late for my business-I'll see her again than t'other. soon-It is a pity she is so proud. [Exeunt.

Mol. I never saw such a strange man in my life! [Exit MoL.

SCENE I.-A hall.

SIR WILLIAM DOUGLAS alone.

ACT III.

Sir Wil. A YOUNG woman! a native of Scotland! her name Amelia! supposed to be in the greatest distress, and living in total retirement! If fortune should, for once, smile upon me, and have thrown me into the very same house! I don't know what to think of it; and yet, so many uncommon circumstances together, recall the memory of my misfortunes, and awaken all the father in my bosom.--I must be satisfied.

Enter MOLLY crossing the stage.

Sir Wil. Madam! will you permit me to speak one word to you?

Mol. [coming forward.] If you please; what is your pleasure, sir?

Sir Wil. I presume, madam, you are the charming young woman I heard of?"

Mol. I have a few charms in the eyes of some folks, to be sure, sir.

Sir Wil. I don't doubt it; but who are they? I have particular reasons for inquiring. Mol. Very likely so; but I must beg to be excused, sir.

Sir Wil. Of what age is your mistress? you will tell me that, at least.

Mol. Oh, as to her age, she don't care who knows that; she is too young to deny her age yet a-while. She is about one-and-twenty, sir.

Sir Wil. Precisely the age of my Amelia.[Aside.] One-and-twenty, you say? [To MOL. Mol. Yes, sir; and I am about two-and twenty; there is no great difference between us.

Sir Wil. [Apart.] It must be so; her age, her country, her manner of living, all concur to prove her mine; my dear child, whom I left to taste of misfortune from her cradle!

Mol. [Apart.] What is he muttering, I won der? I wish this one-and-twenty has not turned the old gentleman's head.

Sir Wil. Let me beg the favour of you to conduct me to your mistress: I want to speak with

Sir Wil. And you are a native of Scotland, her. they tell me?

Mol. I am; at your service, sir.

Sir Wil. Will you give me leave to ask the name of your family? Who is your father?

Mol. I really don't remember my father.
Sir Wil. Ha! not remember him, do you say?
[Earnestly.
Mol. No, sir; but I have been told that he

was

Mol. She will see no company, sir; she is indisposed; she is in great affliction; and receives no visits at all.

Sir Wil. Mine is not a visit of form or ceremony, or even impertinent curiosity; but on the most urgent business. Tell her, I am her fellowcountryman.

Mol. What are you of Scotland, too, sir? Sir Wil. I am. Tell her I take part in her af flictions, and may, perhaps, bring her some con

Sir Wil. Who, madam? Mol. One of the most eminent bakers in Aber-solation. deen, sir.

Sir Wil. Oh, I conceive! You live, I suppose, with the young lady I meant to speak to. I mistook you for the lady herself.

Mol. You did me a great deal of honour, I assure you, sir.

Sir Wil. But you are acquainted with your mistress's family?

Mol. Family, sir!

Sir Wil. Ay; who are her parents?

Mol. There is something mighty particular about this old gentleman! He has not brought another two hundred pounds, sure! [Apart.] Well, sir; since you are so very pressing, since you say you are our fellow-countryman, if you will walk this way, I'll speak to my mistress, and see what I can do for you.

Sir Wil. I am obliged to you. [Exit MOLLY. And now, if I may trust the forebodings of an old fond heart, I am going to throw my arms

Mol. She comes of very creditable'parents, I about my daughter. promise you, sir.

[Erit.

AS SIR WILLIAM follows MOLLY out on one side, SPATTER appears on the other.

Spat. There they go! what the deuce can that old fellow and Amelia's maid do together? The slut is certainly conducting him to her mistress! In less than half an hour I expect that Amelia will be apprehended. In the mean time, I must be upon the watch; for, since I have laid the information, it is high time that I should collect some materials to support it.-Who comes here? Lord Falbridge's valet de chambre: his errand is to Amelia, without doubt; something may be learnt there, perhaps.

Enter LA FRANCE.

Ha! Monsieur La France! your servant.

La France. Serviteur! ver glad to see you, Monsieur Spatter.

Spat. Well; what brings you here? eh, Monsieur La France ?

La France. Von lettre, Monsieur.
Spat. A letter to whom?

La France. From my lor to Mademoiselle Amelie.

Spat. Oh! you're mistaken, Monsieur; that letter is for lady Alton.

La France. Lady Alton! no, ma foi! it be for Mademoiselle. I am no mistake. Je ne me trompe pas la dessus.

Spat. Why, have not you carried several letters from lord Falbridge to lady Alton?

La France. Oh, que oui! but dis be for de young laty dat lif here; for Mademoiselle: mi lor love her! ma foi; he lov her à la folie. Spat. And he loved lady Alton à la folie, did not he?

La France. Oh, que non! he lov her so gentely! si tranquilement; ma foi, he lov her à la Françoise. But now he lov Mademoiselle; he no eat, no sleep, no speak, but Mademoiselle; no tink, but of Mademoiselle; quite an oder ting, Monsieur Spatter, quite an oder ting!

Spat. Well, well; no matter for that; the letter is for lady Alton, I promise you.

La France. Ah! pardonnez moi !

Spat. It is, I assure you; and to convince you of it, see here, Monsieur! lady Alton has sent you five guineas to pay the postage.

La France. Five guineas! ma foi, I believe I was mistake, indeed.

Spat. Ay, ay; I told you you were mistaken: and after all, if it should not be for her ladyship, she will inclose it in another case, and send it to Amelia, and nobody will be the wiser.

La France. Fort bien; ver well; la voila. [Gives the letter] I have got five guinces; I don't care.

Spat. Why should you? Where's the harm, if one woman should receive a letter written to another? There will be nothing lost by it; for, if Amelia don't receive this, she will receive

VOL. II.

others; and letters of this sort are all alike, you know.

La France. Begar dat is ver true. Adieu, sir. --I have execute my commission: adieu. Oh! je fais bien mes commissions, moi!

[Exit LA FRANCE.

Spat. See the effects of secret service-money! Intelligence must be paid for; and the bribing couriers is a fair stratagem, by all the laws of war. Shall I break open this letter, or carry it to lady Alton as it is? No; I'll read it myself, that I may have the credit of communicating the contents. Let me sce! [Opens the letter, and reads.] Thou dearest, most respectable, and most virtuous of women! So! this is à la folie, indeed, as Monsieur La France calls it. If any 'consideration could add to my remorse, for the 'injury I have offered you, it would be the discovery of your real character.' Ah, ah! I know who you are. I know you are the daughter of the unhappy sir William Douglas.'-So, so! Judge, then, of the tumult of my soul; which is only preserved from the horrors of despair, by the hopes of rendering some service to the father, which may, perhaps, in some measure, atone for my behaviour to his too justly of'fended daughter. Give me leave, this evening, to sue for my pardon at your feet, and to in6 form you of the measures I have taken. In the mean time, believe me unalterably yours. 'FALBRIDGE.'

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This is a precious packet, indeed!—Now, if I could discover the father, too!-His lordship's visit will be too late in the evening, I fancy; the lady will not be at home; but, before she goes, once more to my old trade of eaves-dropping about her apartments! The old gentleman and she are certainly together, and their conversation, perhaps, may be curious. At all events, lady Alton must be gratified. Men of letters never get any thing of their patrons, but by sacrificing to their foibles. [Exit.

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Ame. Perhaps it is to my misfortunes that I owe those sentiments. Had I been brought up in ease and luxury, my mind, which has learnt fortitude from distress, might have been enfeebled by prosperity.

Sir Wil. Thou most amiable of thy sex, I conjure thee to hide nothing from me. You say you were born at Aberdeen; you confess that you are derived from one of those unhappy families, who suffered themselves to be so fatally deluded, and drawn from their allegiance to the best of kings. 5 S

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